The Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam. File
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

All arrangements have been made for the annual ‘Kumbhotsavam’ of Goddess Bhramaramba at the Srisailam temple on April 15. As part of the ritual, lemon, pumpkin, coconuts and cooked rice will be offered to the Goddess as a ‘Satvika Bali’ (sacrifice without spilling blood). Any slaughter or killing of animals or birds is prohibited in the temple town on the day.

According to temple officials, Kumbhotsavam is performed on the Tuesday or Friday, which ever comes first after Pournami day of Chaitra Masam. All the special pujas to the presiding deity will be performed in ‘Ekantam’ (in solitude) and devotees would be allowed to have darshan only between 7 p.m to 9 p.m on the day. Arjitha sevas in the Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy temple would be performed till afternoon only and darshan and arjitha sevas of the Lord will be stopped in the evening. Kalyanotsavam and Ekanta seva of Lord Mallikarjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba were also cancelled on the day.

Arjitha sevas and darshan at the Lord Mallikarjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba temple will continue from the next day, April 16 from 7 a.m.

As per law, any kind of slaughter of animals or birds in the temple town is prohibited and temple Executive Officer M Srinivasa Rao has asked various departments concerned to take steps to prevent any such kind of incidence in Srisailam. The RTC officials were asked to keep a check on transportation of hens or any other animals in their buses coming to Srisailam.

The local revenue and police officials were asked to conduct checks at the tollgate and also assured to cooperate by allocating the temple staff for conducting the checks. The engineering and publicity wings have been asked to instal boards in the temple town on ban of slaughter of animals in the temple town.

The EO asked the Police department to increase vigil and deploy additional staff for the purpose. The temple officials and staff were also asked to keep a vigil on animal slaughter in Mada streets, Ankalamma temple, Pancha Matams near Mahishasuramardhini and other places.

Meanwhile, the EO asked the temple security wing to ensure that there is no stampede like situation in queue lines as a large number of devotees are expected to visit the temple on the day.